Published: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 6:10 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 6:18 p.m.

Town of Carolina Shores Commissioner Gere Dale and Town of Carolina Shores Town Administrator Linda Herncane are seen in front of the Carolina Shores Town Hall Wednesday.

Staff photo | Mike Spencer

But the divorce 10 years ago, sparked by years of nasty disputes, has actually turned the two entities into friendly neighbors.

As Carolina Shores celebrates its 10-year anniversary of incorporation Thursday, leaders here and in neighboring Calabash say things have changed since the days of bickering over issues such as sewer, garbage collection and sign restrictions.

The break-up

Calabash, the state’s seafood mecca, and Carolina Shores, known for its golf course, got hitched nine years before they split.

Carolina Shores Commissioner Gere Dale, who sat on the board of the merged town of Calabash before the separation in 1998, remembers the animosity between the five elected officials from Carolina Shores and the two from Calabash.

“I think there was a significant difference between what the two commissioner groups felt,” he said.

Those in Calabash wanted to develop at a slower pace than what the representatives from Carolina Shores wanted, said Calabash Mayor Anthony Clemmons.

“What people wanted from Carolina Shores was a little too much for this little fishing village,” Clemmons said.

But despite differences in opinions, Dale said, most people living in the community of Carolina Shores didn’t want to split from the town.

“I think that the people in Carolina Shores were comfortable with being part of Calabash and trying to move the collective two towns forward,” he said. “The people in Carolina Shores thought that the problems that existed or were apparent were problems that could be worked out.”

According to a Star-News article from September 1998, Calabash Mayor Teddy Altreuter, who lived in Carolina Shores, was against the split and thought the people of downtown Calabash would be at a disadvantage because most of the town’s tax base was in Carolina Shores.

“They’ll take a beating. They’ll lose 70 percent of their tax base, and they’ll lose the expertise of many people serving in government for nine years who studied and worked hard to create the town ordinances,” she said then.

But a state bill was passed allowing an election to take place Sept. 15, 1998, and the majority of the total voters wanted to separate.

When the town of Carolina Shores was incorporated a few days later, Altreuter became mayor there, and Dale moved to the Carolina Shores board as well.

Becoming friends

By the time Linda Herncane arrived in late 1998 to assume town administrator duties in Carolina Shores, the fighting was already over.

“When I came in, it was over with, and we were starting the existence of the town of Carolina Shores,” she said.

That was when the town had a little more than 1,000 people and only two employees.

The town now has almost 3,000 people and 14 full-time employees in a Town Hall that recently expanded.

“I just think it’s wonderful how we progressed into our own little town,” Herncane said.

And as the little town has progressed, the relationship with its neighbor has improved.

Just before election night last year, Clemmons, who was running for mayor of Calabash, helped Stephen Selby, who was running for Carolina Shores mayor, put up an election sign.

“At that time, we made a handshake that if we were elected by the people, we would start working together for the mutual support of each community,” Clemmons said.

The towns already work together on shared fire and emergency services, and Dale said he thinks there are more opportunities for the towns to work together in the future, such as creating a joint police force.

Herncane said she doesn’t notice any of the bitterness that was spoken of in 1998.

“We have gotten closer because people change, and it has been a good feeling to really be cooperating and to be sharing some of the services like emergency management,” she said.

<p>Carolina Shores | Like most failed marriages, this one started off with the best of intentions.</p><p>But the divorce 10 years ago, sparked by years of nasty disputes, has actually turned the two entities into friendly neighbors.</p><p>As Carolina Shores celebrates its 10-year anniversary of incorporation Thursday, leaders here and in neighboring Calabash say things have changed since the days of bickering over issues such as sewer, garbage collection and sign restrictions.</p><p><b>The break-up</b></p><p>Calabash, the state’s seafood mecca, and Carolina Shores, known for its golf course, got hitched nine years before they split.</p><p>Carolina Shores Commissioner Gere Dale, who sat on the board of the merged town of Calabash before the separation in 1998, remembers the animosity between the five elected officials from Carolina Shores and the two from Calabash.</p><p>I think there was a significant difference between what the two commissioner groups felt, he said.</p><p>Those in Calabash wanted to develop at a slower pace than what the representatives from Carolina Shores wanted, said Calabash Mayor Anthony Clemmons.</p><p>What people wanted from Carolina Shores was a little too much for this little fishing village, Clemmons said.</p><p>But despite differences in opinions, Dale said, most people living in the community of Carolina Shores didn’t want to split from the town.</p><p>I think that the people in Carolina Shores were comfortable with being part of Calabash and trying to move the collective two towns forward, he said. The people in Carolina Shores thought that the problems that existed or were apparent were problems that could be worked out.</p><p>According to a Star-News article from September 1998, Calabash Mayor Teddy Altreuter, who lived in Carolina Shores, was against the split and thought the people of downtown Calabash would be at a disadvantage because most of the town’s tax base was in Carolina Shores.</p><p>They’ll take a beating. They’ll lose 70 percent of their tax base, and they’ll lose the expertise of many people serving in government for nine years who studied and worked hard to create the town ordinances, she said then.</p><p>But a state bill was passed allowing an election to take place Sept. 15, 1998, and the majority of the total voters wanted to separate.</p><p>When the town of Carolina Shores was incorporated a few days later, Altreuter became mayor there, and Dale moved to the Carolina Shores board as well.</p><p><b>Becoming friends</b></p><p>By the time Linda Herncane arrived in late 1998 to assume town administrator duties in Carolina Shores, the fighting was already over.</p><p>When I came in, it was over with, and we were starting the existence of the town of Carolina Shores, she said.</p><p>That was when the town had a little more than 1,000 people and only two employees.</p><p>The town now has almost 3,000 people and 14 full-time employees in a Town Hall that recently expanded.</p><p>I just think it’s wonderful how we progressed into our own little town, Herncane said.</p><p>And as the little town has progressed, the relationship with its neighbor has improved.</p><p>Just before election night last year, Clemmons, who was running for mayor of Calabash, helped Stephen Selby, who was running for Carolina Shores mayor, put up an election sign.</p><p>At that time, we made a handshake that if we were elected by the people, we would start working together for the mutual support of each community, Clemmons said.</p><p>The towns already work together on shared fire and emergency services, and Dale said he thinks there are more opportunities for the towns to work together in the future, such as creating a joint police force.</p><p>Herncane said she doesn’t notice any of the bitterness that was spoken of in 1998.</p><p>We have gotten closer because people change, and it has been a good feeling to really be cooperating and to be sharing some of the services like emergency management, she said.</p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic98"><b>Shannan Bowen</b></a>: 264-8345</p><p>shannan.bowen@starnewsonline.com</p><p><empty></p>